"The" Daily Driver

[Tom F&L GoR]

I am an advocate of driving Vipers as much as possible. Many of you have a performance target that reaches to fourple digit horsepower or *** MPH. I did some track events, some autocross, but now my target is a commuter car. To each their own, right?

My Gen 1 came with a 3" exhaust and after three more versions and not being able to make it quieter, I installed a nearly new Gen 2 OEM exhaust. Much better; I can hear the phone, hear the radio, all that good "commuter car" stuff.

I felt very dorky having sidepipe covers for side exhaust and the two pipes out the back, so I installed Autoform fiberglass no-hole covers. Looks nice, and to a large degree because they aren't beat up like the old ones were.

With a longer commute and having to be weather-proof, I had been looking for a hardtop. After 11 years of ownership I had used only the soft top, so going to a hardtop was more a luxury than a requirement. I stumbled across a 3-piece Trunktop locally - many thanks to Jeff Lemke for supplying the missing part FOC.

The top did not come with windows, but since I had my old yellow vinyl curtains, I cut off the canvas and vinyl and used the frame to make my own hard windows. It took some bending, cutting, welding, swearing... I welded tabs to the 3/8" rod frame, drilled and tapped for 6-32 button head cap screws, cut the Lexan sheet to fit and with a minimum of weatherstrip and silicone, am ready for the first rain.

You smart Gen 1 guys are probably thinking "how do you get in the car now? Those windows don't open!?" I have always had a door popper for the driver, and I added one for the passenger side. As a failsafe in case the battery dies, I also have a cable pull on the passenger side door (in a secret location, of course) to yank on and unlatch the door in emergencies.

It's a different look - all smooth. No hood vents, no sidepipe waviness, no side exhaust, no awkward softtop, no big side curtains. Originally I was only planning on a smooth one-piece Lemke top, but this one fell into my hands sooner.

So now I have to reach the second 100,000 miles. And to really make sure I don't get it stuck somewhere along the way, I added tow hooks.

Hey! Can only add 5 pictures per post, so more coming right up.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

More of the "new" daily driver. One secret to the windows is to paint a 1 1/8" border around the edge on the inside. From the outside it looks kinda nice and nobody can see the frame or tabs welded on.

 

[Leslie]

SECOND 100K miles?

you are my hero

 

[jasontiff]

I dig the plates

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

There was a nice type of weatherstrip I found you may find useful. It was at McMaster Carr. Don't know if this link will work, but it's item #11.

McMaster-Carr

I think you'll have to scroll up to see the image.

 

[BlackSnake99]

Windows are cool!

 

[Stretch]

Tom you're a champ!

 

[eucharistos]

you da man tom

and i see you can still tow a trailer

 

[plumcrazy]

send me the name of your powdercoater, i have a set of wheels i need done.

windows look better tom, as usual, nice work

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

send me the name of your powdercoater, i have a set of wheels i need done.

windows look better tom, as usual, nice work

You can contact Leslie, she posted that she has some Brakeman#3s for sale. They'll do fine.

Window frames were a challenge because the outline of the opening is a complex 3D shape. On a do-over I would have curved the rear edge to follow along the door "wing" but that would cover up the hole used to attach the curtain window (and my windows). So I would attach the next version of window using the seat belt loop swivel threaded hole on the inside of the wing. (I have 5-points so it is unused.)

 

[dave6666]

Who is this DAVE6666?

 

[Ron]

Great job Tom! Now that you're working on your second 100K, what vehicle component do you think will be most troublesome along the way, meaning hardest to repair or find replacement of?

Thanks,

Ron

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Great job Tom! Now that you're working on your second 100K, what vehicle component do you think will be most troublesome along the way, meaning hardest to repair or find replacement of?

Thanks,

Ron

1. PCM and other unique electrical components. I've been lucky so far, but it is uncontrollable.
2. 335 tires in 17". Somewhat controllable and probably just more expensive.
3. Bodywork that can't be repaired, like headlights. Should be available used, though.

I'm less worried about this than perhaps some other owners because my plan is to drive it until it becomes uneconomical to maintain. I'll sell it for parts (becoming a supplier of the hard to find items) and buy a new/old one and start over again.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Who is this DAVE6666?

Can you believe that it's actually available as a vanity plate in NY? I was floored!

 

[dave6666]

Can you believe that it's actually available as a vanity plate in NY? I was floored!

I'm licensed in all 50 states and 33 countries

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

Who is this DAVE6666?

One 6 worst than the DEVIL

 

[Austin]

Thats a good lookin' (aggressive) GEN 1.

 

[Dom426h]

Was buying a Stock Gen2 as a daily driver and keeping the Gen1 as a roughruggedraw weekendcar/trackcar ever considered as an option?
Why go through all that trouble makeing the Gen1 something its not when you could have just started with a GTS?

I Love the Gen1 in its pure form: Sidepipes/NoTopRoadster
The car was originally designed Without a top in mind!!!
You neutered it IMO.

Sorry to rain on your parade even more but,
There are already people with around 200K on vipers that are newer than yours and theyve done it without cutting the balls off.

I do appreciate everything you do for the viper community though. I am further educated everytime i read your posts.
Keep it up. Cant wait to get my 40mm's.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Perspective: I got into this Viper after 13 years of driving my replica Cobra as much as I could. That amounted to only a few thousand miles and ~90 days a year at best. Great AX car, frighteningly fast, but no amenities - even Chuck 98 RT/10 would have complained.

Buying this '94 in 1998 was easier on the wallet vs. a then-new GTS and relative to the Cobra, a big step up in creature comforts. Having a roof (sort of), windows, A/C, PS, PB, PS, heat, leather seats, lumbar support, radio meant life was good. Dodge built a pretty nice kit car that to me was not rugged or raw. My Cobra was raw and would scare hairy men like Dave.

Did I noodle it by making it appear more like a GTS? (Hmmm, what does that say about GTS owners?) Maybe a little, but because I want to use it and not park it. And I feel far less accomplished and knowledgeable about high mileage Vipers if there are many others with 200K on newer cars. I have some catching up to do.

Footnote:
Oddly, I found it to be a difficult track car. It's a heavy car, frame isn't all that stiff, and around here a roof-less car at a track is not always welcome. The better choice would be to track a GTS and use the RT for pleasure.

 

[Dom426h]

I didnt say it looks like a GTS, i said it looks like a neutered RT/10. The beautifull backend of the GTS compliments the hardtop and completes the GTS as a timeless work of art.
The Sidepipes are a complement to the low stance of the RT/10, now yours are gone and added is a top that makes the RT/10 look like ..... with a toupee.

Anything is going to feal like crap on a track when your only comparison is a cobra that is 1000lbs lighter than most.

Now seeing you situation from the beginning i understand though.
Might have done the same myself...

keep on truckin

 

[whitebluevipe]

looks great tom, nice job.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

you da man tom

and i see you can still tow a trailer

Yes, I can still mount a very large ball.

 

[BSheppard]

I think it looks great!

 

[whitebluevipe]

i was really examining your car and had a few thoughts. plum joked about your powder coated wheels and thought black powder coated wheels would actually look great with that green paint. also a mopar style wing as well. you could actually start making the widows as sell them to pay for it. just a few thoughts.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

I thought about making windows, but the ones I made were specifically for the roofs from Jeff Lemke and he already supplies them. With the hours I put into my pair, you should buy his. They seemed a little pricey to me before, they seem really reasonable now.

Sorry, no wings or stripes for me. Stealthy was my game, so black or anthracite wheels could be in the future. I'm into subtle, so nothing white, either.

 

[jdeft1]

Tom... you are my inspiration!!

I strive to be DD guy like you.... Somehow... I just can't do it!!! I love my old viper too much. After ten years of meticulous care..... I just can't. Gen 1 just wasn't made for DD service. Simple... Fight as you may but the thing just wasn't meant for DDing.............


Looks great!! You are a hero in my mind.

(Paint the wheels black..., nice plate)

***************************************

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

I must add that one unanticipated improvement has been cockpit noise. Having a hard roof and hard windows has greatly cut down on road, tire, etc noise. (The rear exhaust helps, of course, and the soft top has a series of holes in the frame over the windows that allows lots of noise - take a look!) Drone? What drone? Wind noise starts at 50MPH, and then only from the slightly protruding edges of my windows. I find myself staying in gear longer because I don't hear the engine noise to know when to shift up. Consequently the general driving performance seems better! Its like adding a stealthy silencer to your .44 Caliber...

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

Your Viper still looks pretty raw and mean to me. It is because of the durability and simplicity of the Viper from the beginning that makes it a success story. I am a poser compared to you Tom since I don't even drive in the rain. (It's a black car thing)

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

Fantastic post Tom!

 

[got one]

a true inspiration to all us Gen 1 owners. They can actually make a good daily driver...so, no excuses on why a person can't own their dream car due to impracticality. But then again, we are talking about true die hard gen 1 fans as well.